The Dallas Mavericks took a massive hit in the summer when they let Jalen Brunson walk to the New York Knicks without getting anything in return for him. However, they did swing a massive trade for Christian Wood prior to Jalen walking away, and Wood is now emerging as the franchise’s second star behind Luka Doncic.
Christian Wood had an interview with NBA.com where the site took inputs from Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban about the center his team acquired in the summer. Cuban was complementary of Wood and expressed the desire to extend the contract of the impending free agent.
“He gives us a dynamic that we haven’t had in a long time. He’s somebody who can post up, make a 3, attack, close out, block a shot, and rebound. He’s really helped us.”
“They understand each other better,” Cuban said. “When they play high pick-and-roll, C-Wood knows where to go and what to do. Luka can trust him, and they can play off of each other. The chemistry has been really fun to watch.”
“We’d like to keep him.” (h/t NBA)
We have seen this exact scenario play out with two former Mavs fan favorites in recent years. The first came when the Mavs moved Seth Curry after a great season to get Josh Richardson, a move that didn’t work out. The second instance is with Jalen Brunson. Both times, Cuban assured fans that he wanted the players to be part of the long-term vision before letting them go.
Can The Mavericks Be Trusted With Christian Wood’s Contract?
The Mavericks are a team that’s already over the salary cap, so Wood walking in free agency gives them no way to replace him, just as how they failed to replace Brunson. Mark Cuban has had a pattern of telling fans not to worry before something inevitably happens to worry the fans.
Wood is expecting a long-term contract extension while the Mavericks are eyeing cap space in 2025 to hopefully land a marquee free agent that can change the outlook of the franchise and convince Luka Doncic to stay closer to his free agency. Wood is already a 20-10 threat that’s playing the best defense of his career. The Mavericks need to keep the good players they have to give Luka the best chance to compete now.
Hopefully, the Mavericks can extend Wood’s contract before the extension deadline passes. Otherwise, we may see the Mavs get outbid by teams like Charlotte given the solid form Wood has been playing with all season long.
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